Hi Hawk,
Re: The 101st Airmobile Division launched an ENTIRE BRIGADE deep behind Iraqi lines
Well, the first thing you might want to do in Afghanistan is to find "the line". The Iraqis co-operated with the notion of a conventional army with massed infantry and armor, an easy target. There will be no such thing in Afghanistan. Once you launch an entire brigade (from where? BTW? From the Kitty Hawk, ferchissakes?) what's the end-game. They will be surrounded, they will be attrited and they will have no where to go. I'd like to hear your idea of how you get the troops out. I think that's a lot less trivial than getting them in.
Re: And although quite an expensive proposition, there is no piece of military equipment we possess that can't be lifted in via C-17, including the M-1.... one tank per flight.
Last week, the FRB-NY and the Plunge Protection Team went to work to prop up our equity markets, according to some keen observers who I trust to have a clue. What you finally must ask is how deep a hole you want the U.S. Treasury to dig trying to deal with impossibly silly logistics like you're suggesting. Keep in mind, we're a debtor nation. If we go off the deep end, financially speaking, there may come a tipping point when the Saudis, Japanese and Europeans decide they've had enough of our Treasury bonds and commercial paper. When that happens, we're caught between a rock and hard place.
Re: As for armor, it will be useful for rapid reaction and perimeter support (thermal imagery and long range direct fire).
Granted, this will work swell in the 3% of Afghanistan that is populated, worth holding and level. For the rest of the country, our gear simply isn't designed, or as in the case of the southwest deserts,there will never be an battles there, in spite of the fact the terrain there gives us a distinct advantage.
JMHO, Ray :) |
